Sulky-stirrup.



L. D. MORTON SULKY STIRRUP.

APPLIUAIION rum) JUNE 18, 190a.

908,599, Patented an 5,19o9.

Witnesses: Inventor,

v Attorneys LLOYD DELAP MORTON, OF DIGBY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

SU'LKY-STIRRUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 18, 1908.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 439,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLoYn DELAP Moa- TON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Digby, in the county of Digby, Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky-Stirrups; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to stirrups, and particularly to the general type of stirrups used on racing sulkies.

Broadly speaking, it comprises a downwardly and forwardly slanting loop or foot rest adapted to lie considerably below, somewhat in advance of, and slightly outside of or beyond the usual foot rest or stirrup loop now in use, and means for connecting said loop or foot rest to the sulky shaft.

In order to more clearly disclose the construction, use and application of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present application.

Throughout the views like reference characters designate the same parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective of one form of the device; and, Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification.

In stirrups of this class it is very desirable to have them so placed as to allow the driver a comparatively free and easy sitting posture, while at the same time allowing him to brace himself thoroughly. Such stirrups should also be so constructed and placed as not to interfere with the action of the horse while traveling at high speed. In case of accident it is, of course, imperative that the driver should be in a position to immediately disengage his feet without effort, and, accordingly, the stirrup to be thoroughly satisfactory should be made and positioned with this requirement in view.

The present invention has been devised particularly to meet all of these requirements and to present a-simple, convenient and economic stirrup.

As a preliminary to a full disclosure of the present invention, it is desirable to give a very brief description of the construction and arrangement of the stirrup now very commonly in use. This comprises a bar or rod 1 of irregular outline, adapted to be secured at its opposite ends to the sulky shaft,

as by means of clips 2 for instance, and a cross piece 3 extending from the rod 1 across to the shaft to which it may be secured in any suitable manner. When the driver is seated with his feet in such stirrups he will be in a very awkward and uncomfortable position, his feet being considerably above the seat upon which he sits. Of course, when his feet are in the stirrups with the insoles resting on the cross piece 3 the lower part of his leg will lie across the rear of the bar 1. sequently, in order for him to free his foot from the stirrup, he must necessarily raise his foot. His posture makes it practically impossible for him to raise his foot easily to free it instantly from the stirrup in case of accident.

. The form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises, in addition to the regular stirrup, as above described, a dependent slanting loop comprising side bars 4 and 5 and a connecting cross bar 6 which serves the same purpose as the cross bar 3. The side bar 5 is connected rigidly to rod 1 and slants forwardly and outwardly therefrom. The side bar 4 is substantially parallel with the bar 5 and is connected to the sulky shaft at a point considerably in the rear of the connection between side bar 5 and rod 1. Thus, the cross bar 6 will be at a very considerable angle to the shaft, said angular position allowing the drivers instep to fit squarely, firmly and comfortably in the stirru The side bars 4 and 5 are made of su icient length to allow the drivers feet to drop slightly below the sulky seat, thus giving him an easy, comfortable and firm position. The slant of the bars 4 and 5 throws the stirrups slightly farther out than usual and so avoids all possibility of their interfering with the action of the horse when going at high speed.

On reference to the drawings it will be evident that there is absolutely no obstruction to the immediate withdrawal of the drivers feet, in case of accident. He may drop his feet instantly from the cross bar 6 without effort.

In order to strengthen and brace the stirrup a strut or rod 7 is provided which, in the referred form, is made integrally with the liar 4 and extends forwardly therefrom, being connected to the shaft by the strap or loop 8. A similar loop 8 is used to couple the bar 4 to the shaft. Thus, the whole combination upper and lower stirrup may be Conadjusted longitudinally of the shaft, as desired, and, when so adjusted, locked in its position.

If desired the stirrup may be slightly modified to present only the lower foot rest 6, part of the rod 1 being made parallel with the shaft and the side bar 5 being provided with a loop or sleeve 9 adapted to slide freely back and forth on the rod 1. In such case, of course, adjustment of the stirrup is effected by simply loosening the straps or loops 8 and 8 and sliding the stirrup along the shaft and rod 1 to the desired position, tightening the straps when the adjustment has been made.

It is clear that many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several parts and that other combinations of the several parts may be had and substitutions made without in any way departing from the field and scope of the pres ent invention and it is meant to include all such within this application, wherein only preferred forms have been shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A stirrup of the character described comprising a supporting bar of irregular shape and adapted to extend inwardly from I the sulky shaft, means for securing the opposite ends of said bar to a sulky shaft, a forwardly and downwardly directed bar depending from said irregular bar, a third bar parallel to said second bar, a foot rest c ec ng a p a e ba and me ns eoasse for connecting the last named bar to a sulky shaft.

2. A stirrup of the character described comprising a supporting bar of irregular shape and adapted to extend inwardly from the sulky shaft, means for securing the opposite ends of said bar to a sulky shaft, a forwardly and downwardly directed bar depending from said irregular bar, a third bar parallel to said second bar, a foot rest connecting said parallel bars, means for connecting the last named bar to a sulky shaft, a brace rod connected to the last named bar, and means for connecting the brace rod to a sulky shaft.

3. A stirrup of the character described comprising, side bars a foot rest connecting said side bars, a rod, means for connecting said rod to a sulky shaft, means for connecting one of the aforesaid bars to a sulky shaft, and means for adj ustably connecting the other of said side bars to said rod.

4. A stirrup of the character described comprising, side bars, a foot rest connecting said side bars, a rod, means for connecting said rod to a sulky shaft, means for connecting one of said side bars to a sulky shaft, means for connecting the other of said side bars to the aforesaid rod, and a second foot rest connected at its opposite ends to said rod and to the sulky shaft respectively.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

LLOYD DELAP MORTON.

Witnesses:

E GENE M. SLINEY, W. S. BABCOCK. 

